Adhesive tape dispensers, also referred to as sealing tape dispensers and packaging tape dispensers, are numerous and have been used for some time. Common tape dispensers are either, hand-held or desk-top. A problem with many tape dispensers is the awkward manipulations required to load a reel of adhesive tape. Considerable tape can be wasted loading tape reels into tape dispensers as it sticks to parts of the tape dispenser or itself. When long lengths of tape are extracted the tape can twist on itself, creating a tangled mess before it can be applied to an article.
Many of the popular tape dispensers used in mailing stores, offices, packaging rooms and mailing rooms are large and complicated mechanisms of considerable weight, but are hand-held. U.S. Pat. No. 5,197,386 issued to Lin, describes a device is made up of dozens of parts and is relatively heavy. This and other hand-held tape dispensers similar to U.S. Pat. No. 5,759,342 have a similar characteristic in that the tape end, when being applied to a package is a considerable distance from the operating hand, thereby limiting the control for positioning and cutting the tape being applied to the package. Further, as with many hand-held tape dispensers, when finished applying and cutting the tape, a flap of tape several inches long extends from the device, free to stick to places not desired.
Smaller hand-held tape dispensers are known in the art, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,719,180 issued to Shah. This tape dispenser is small, light weight and economical, but is limited to use with only a single small reel of adhesive tape.
There are many desk-top tape dispensers. One design is illustrated in U.S. Pat. D504,155 issued to Crawford et al. Most of these types of dispensers are used mainly for narrow width masking tape. As common packaging tape is two inches wide and reasonably sticky, some effort is required to extract the tape from the tape reel. With this in mind, desk-top tape dispensers are either heavy or provided with suction cups to hold the dispenser stationary while tape is extracted.
Multiple roll tape dispensers are numerous as described in U.S. Pat. No. D399,257 issued to Tang et al. These tape dispensers, however are not designed for hand-held use.
Heretofore, prior art fails to address an adhesive backed tape dispenser that is light weight and can be used as a desk-top device and/or a hand-held device, is easy to load and provides a means where extracted tape is prevented from tangling or sticking to itself or other undesirable objects.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a tape dispenser that can be used as a desk-top device and/or a hand-held device.
It is another object of the invention to provide a simple tape dispensing device into which a reel of adhesive backed tape can be loaded easily and conveniently.
It is another object of the invention to provide a tape dispenser that dispenses adhesive backed tape quickly and easily.
It is another object of the invention to provide a tape dispenser that facilitates holding extracted tape with both hands to keep it from tangling.
It is another object of the invention to provide a tape dispenser that is light in weight.
It is another object of the invention to provide a tape dispenser that is of simple construction.
It is another object of the invention to provide a tape dispenser that is economical to produce.
It is another object of the invention to provide a tape dispenser that can accommodate different size reels of tape.
It is another object of the invention to provide a tape dispenser that can be conveniently clamped to a desk-top.
It is another object of the invention to provide a tape dispenser that prevents a loose tape end from becoming stuck to unintentional objects.
It is another object of the invention to provide a tape dispenser that can hold more than one roll of tape.